Combined hook and snap fastener



Nov. 7, 1950 A. s. BURK ET AL 2,528,854

COMBINED HOOK AND SNAP FASTENER Filed Dec. 4, 1948 3 J 7 a 9 6 3 I I dlma J. 514M! 12122203 4. fiur/zf Patented Nov. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention has for its primary purpose the provision of a simple and efficient fastener for properly and comfortably retaining in place on the shoulder of the user, the shoulder straps of feminine under garments, which fastener is an improvement over similar accessories in point of its simplicity of construction, small size, compactness and particular formation affording a ready and easy attachment and removal of the fastener and the use thereof without discomfort and without detection of its presence beneath the garment to which it is attached.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a shoulder strap fastener such as next above noted which is in the form of small flat loop open at one end and provided with a snap fastener so located with relation to the open end that, first, the shoulder strap fastener may be fixed in place and removed with consummate ease, secondly, the straps may be easily slipped through the open end into the fastener before afi'ixation of the snap fastening element to a companion snap fastening element located on the outer garment overlying the straps, and, thirdly, the two snap fastening elements when engaged with one another will close said open end sufiiciently to prevent accidental displacement of the straps from the fastener but make it possible for the wearer to intentionally place the straps in the fastener or remove them while the fastener is held in place by means of the snap fastenings.

Another object is to provide a shoulder strap fastener for feminine undergarments which obvi ates objectionable use of pins and yet embodies a construction affording a means whereby the strap engaging portion thereof may be readily attached to a garment and also be easily and quickly separated therefrom.

A further purpose of our invention is to provide a shoulder strap fastener of the character described which while securely held in place will move freely about the axis of the snap fastenings with certain movements of the garments associated therewith and movements of the body of the wearer, to prevent undue pulling strains on the straps or the associated garment and consequent derangement thereof and discomfort of the wearer.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in the parts and in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation partly in section showing a shoulder strap fastener embodying the present invention, as when in use.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the showing of Fig. 1, with the fastener indicated by dashed lines beneath the outer garment to which it is attached.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of 2.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the fastener.

Referring more specifically to the drawingit will be seen that an embodiment of my improved fastener includes a substantially flat loop 5 which is preferably made of a single strip or like piece of comparatively thin and light material which is sufficiently stiff to be form retaining such as metal, plastic, celluloid or like material; the loop being closed at one end and open at its other .end.

One leg ,5 of the loop .5 is substantially rectangular and serves as the base of the fastener adapted to lie fiatwise on the shoulder of the wearer as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, whereas the other leg I joined to the leg =6 in substantial parallelism thereto by means of an arcuate web portion 8, is definitely shorter than leg 6 and tapered towards its free end so as to be comparatively small and narrow.

The portion 6' of leg 6 which extends beyond the free end of the upper leg 1 serves as a guide and support for the garment shoulder smap 9 in placin the straps between said legs and in removing the straps, in addition to providing a most convenient and advantageous seat for mounting and manipulating a snap fa tener element l0 which is aifixed thereto so as to face to ward the leg 6. The outer margin of the fastener element [0 is somewhat spac d from the margins of the end and side edges of the end portion 6 to provide a lip portion around the fastener element to be gripped with the fingers in affixing and detaching the snap fastener element to a companion snap fastener element 42 which latter is mounted on the inner surface of the shoulder portion of the outer garment l3.

The fastener element I2 is preferably mounted on a strip of tape I4 which is fixed in any suitable manner to the garment so that the fastener element is concealed from view. The snap fastener elements when connected together permit movement of the shoulder strap fastener freely about the of said snap fasteners.

It will now be apparent that shoulder straps of the wearer may be quickly and easily inserted into a pair of the fastener elements of this invention after which the wearer slides the holder with the shorter legs 1 uppermost to the tops of the shoulders and then snaps the fastener elements H3 and I2 together, it being noted that the fastener elements l2 are previously affixed to the outer garment I3 so as to remain there at all times thereon. When engaged in this manner the fastener elements 19 and I2 close the open end of each shoulder strap fastener so as to prevent accidental displacement of the straps from the shoulder strap fasteners while the latter serve to effectively retain the straps in proper position on the shoulder of the wearer.

The extended portion 6' on which the fastener element It] is fixed serves as an effective gripping portion so that the user may readily and easily snap the fastener element It into the fastener element l2 and as easily detach it'from fastener element 12 without removing the holder from the straps or removing the straps from the holder.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the device is characterized by the embodiment of two separable elements one of which is adapted to be aifixed to the inner side of the shoulder portion of an outer garment and the other of which is engaged with the shoulder strap of an undergarment and that the element applied to the outer garment is adapted to be fastened thereto in, a substantially permanent fashion while the strap engaging element is adapted to be hooked into detachable sliding connection with a shoulder strap so as to be interchangeably useable on any number of undergarments and also be engageable with a plurality of straps at one time.

While we have shown and described a specific embodiment of our invention We do not limit ourselves to the exact details of construction set forth, and the invention embraces such changes, modifications and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come within the purview of the appended claim.

We claim:

A shoulder strap fastener comprising a flat open ended loop formed of material which is sufficiently stiff to be form retaining, said loop embodying a pair of substantially parallel legs joined together at one of their ends and having spaced apart but contiguous free outer ends, one of said legs forming a base member and having its free end portion projecting beyond the free end of the other leg forming a stiff guide for directing a strap between said legs, a two element snap fastener, one element of which is secured to the projecting free end portion of the base member and extendin upwardly therefrom forward of but adjacent to the free end of the other leg forming a space for passing of a strap between the free end of the other leg and the snap fastener element, and a flexible strip adapted for attachment to a garment with one face thereof presented thereto and on the other face of which the other snap fastener element of the strap fastener is secured for presentation to and connection with its companion element on said loop, said strap fastener being freely movable about the axis of said snap fastener elements when the latter are connected together.

ALMA S. BURK. JAMES A. BURK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,492,361 Davy Apr. 29, 1924 1,620,372 Maider Mar. 8, 1927 1,632,424 Stryke June 24, 1927 

